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Milito scores twice as Inter wins CL

ANNUS MIRABILIS: Inter Milan completed a treble, winning the Serie ‘A', Coppa Italia and Champions League with Diego Milito (in picture) playing a crucial role in the team's success.

Mourinho becomes only the third coach to win the title with two different clubs

Madrid: The Dutch master was bettered by his pupil when Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan strolled to a comfortable 2-0 victory in the Champions League final over a weak Bayern Munich team coached by his one-time boss Louis van Gaal.

Argentina's Diego Milito scored twice as Inter Milan squeezed the life out of a hesitant Bayern team to end a 45-year wait for its third title.

The victory might also signal Mourinho's exit from Inter.

After the game, he said it was “more probable that I'll go than stay.” He is tipped to take over at Real Madrid, where the final was played.

The Argentina striker Milito scored in the 35th and 70th minutes at the Bernabeu Stadium to add the title to Inter's triumphs back in 1964 and 65.

The merited victory — Inter dominated the game — meant that Inter coach Jose Mourinho completed the triple triumphs of the Champions League and domestic league and cup successes and became only the third coach to win the title with two different clubs.

Pupil turns master

Mourinho, who won it with FC Porto in 2004, out-thought Bayern coach Louis van Gaal, the man he worked for while they were at Barcelona. This time the pupil was the master as Mourinho relied on his solid defence to snuff out the threat of Bayern's Arjen Robben and expertly won the game on the counter-attack.

Milito's two goals were taken with style and he had great support from attacking midfielder Wesley Sneijder and defensive midfielders Esteban Cambiasso and Javier Zanetti, the Inter captain who collected the trophy in his 700th appearance for the club.

The loss meant that Bayern missed out on the treble, having also won the domestic league and cups.

After the final whistle, Mourinho walked onto the field and was congratulated by his players in a low key celebration by his standards. In the past he has been known to race across the pitch to celebrate some of his most famous victories, infuriating opposing supporters.

Before the medal ceremony, he left his Inter players and walked over to the Bayern camp, hugging van Gaal as he had promised at the news conference on the eve of the final.

Although Bayern had chances early in the second half, Inter's defence was rock solid as it has been all through the competition, especially when it knocked defending champion Barcelona out in the semifinal.

The triumph was also a big one for Mourinho amid speculation that he might walk out on Inter and move to Real Madrid, the club that plays at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium.

Contrasting fortunes

The first half was a tale of the contrasting fortunes of two Dutchmen.

Bayern's Arjen Robben, left rolling on the ground after three solid tackles by Inter defenders in the first 13 minutes, earned himself three shooting chances but couldn't recreate the accurate strikes that eliminated Fiorentina and Manchester United.

Inter's Wesley Sneijder, by contrast, forced Bayern 'keeper Joerg Butt into a punching save and set up the first half strike by Milito.

From a huge kick upfield by Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar, Milito headed the ball on to Sneijder who returned it immediately with a superbly accurate pass through the Bayern defence.

Milito held off a defender before firing past the 'keeper from 12m, sparking wild celebrations among the Inter fans at the other end of the stadium.

It should have been 2-0 just before half-time when Sneijder and Milito combined again. This time the Argentina striker put the Dutchman clear but his shot was blocked by Butt. In a fast-moving sequence in the opening minute of the second half, Bayern almost equalised and then went close to falling 2-0 behind.

Bayern opened up the Inter defence and Hamit Altintop presented Thomas Mueller with a clear shooting chance only for the 20-year-old striker to see his shot bounce off the 'keeper's legs.

Inter survived that scare to break out at the other end.

Milito burst down the left and crossed to Goran Pandev, whose left-footed lob was acrobatically finger-tipped over the bar by Butt.

Inter goalkeeper Julio Cesar matched that when Robben's shot from the corner of the area appeared to be curling inside the far post but the Brazilian dived to push it away.

Crucial save

It was a crucial save as Inter broke out to score a second which effectively killed off the game. Samuel Eto'o's pass found Milito on the left and the striker twisted past Daniel van Buyten before firing inside the far post in front of the Inter fans. — AP